Ratchet attachment for screw drivers



W. H. PUHL. RATCHET ATTACHMENT FOR SCREW DRIVERS.

APPLICATION FILED SE-PT. 22, |920.

Paf-mea May 9, 1922.

, I NNIIHIH AIIIIHm Egg.

WILLIAM E. PUHL, F ZION CITY,

ILLINOIS.

RATCHET ATTACHMENT FOR SCREW DRIVERS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

Application led September 22, 1920. Serial No. 412,032.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PUHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zion City, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Ratchet Attachment for Screw Drivers, of which the ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a ratchet attachment for screw drivers or the like, for eX- pcditing the insertion or removal of screws, and relieving' the wrist of unnecessary work.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned` character, which is simple in construction, convenient in use, strong and durable.

In the accompanying' drawings forming a part oi" this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screw driver having my attachment applied thereto, such attachment being shown partly in section,

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sliding keeper.

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a cylindrical shank of a screw driver, having a point 6 and handle 7. The handle is connected with the shank by the usual pawl and ratchet device 8, the action of which is controlled by a button 9.

The numeral 10 designates a gear ou' ratchet wheel, rigidly secured to the shank, and surrounded by a rotatable housing, including ends 11, rotatable upon the shank, and connected with a cylindrical casing 12, having screw-threaded engagement therewith.

Arranged within the cylindrical casing 12 are curved resilient pawls 13 and 14, tensioned to automatically move outwardly, to disengage the gear 11. These pawls have heads 15 and are secured to the casing 12, at 16.

The numeral 17 designates a flying keeper having beveled ends 18, for depressing the pawls. The keeper has a radial shank 19, slidable within a longitudinal slot 20, and carrying an exterior. head 21.

In use, the handle 7 may be employed in the usual manner for partly unscrewing or starting the screw, and when this is done, the screw may be quickly and convenientlv removed, by the operator turning the casuing 12 by or between the fingers and thumb, thus effecting a quick rotation of the shank 5, without tiring the wrist. By adjusting the keeper 17, the casing 12 may turn the `shank in either direction.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be'resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I'

claim The combination with a shank of a screw driver having a handle, of an elongated gear rigidly secured to the shank, a pair or heads arranged upon opposite ends of the gear and rotatable upon the shank, a tubular casing connecting' the heads enclosing the gear and having a longitudinal opening, a pair 01"' resilient pawls arranged within the casing and secured thereto and adapted to engage the gear when depressed and tensioned to automatically move outwardly, a sliding keeper having beveled ends to engage and depress the pawls, and a headed shank carried by the keeper and operating within the longitudinal opening.

In testimony whereof, I have aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM n. PUHL.

l/Vitnesses:

RoB'r. WV. Woon, THOMAS HY. IIANCooK. 

